Health director G Srinivas Rao tests Covid positive

Director of public health and family welfare Dr G. Srinivasa Rao, education secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania and other officials in the Secretariat were tested positive for Covid-19. In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Dr Rao, who has been the face of the state government in its fight against Covid-19, said, “Due to mild symptoms, I got myself tested in a laboratory. The results confirmed that it was Covid-19. I am getting hospitalised and isolating myself for necessary symptomatic treatment.”

Saying there was no need to be anxious or to worry about his health, Dr Rao said, “I request the people of Telangana to take good care in the fight against Covid-19 by strictly following Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.”

Meanwhile, as many as 15 employees working in various departments of the Secretariat located in BRKR Bhavan were tested positive for Covid in the last two days. With this, employees and



officials working in the Secretariat are jittery over-reporting to work.

Four employees each in medical and revenue departments were also tested positive. Employees said R&B secretary K.S. Sreenivasa Raju and health secretary Syed Ali Murtuza Rizvi were also tested positive but there was no official confirmation in this regard.

Employees requested the state government to implement 50 per cent attendance in the Secretariat on alternate days to check the spread of the virus. Major departments such as general administration, finance, law, minorities welfare, IT etc function from this building having a built-up area of just 1.6 lakh sq. ft.

The fear of transmission of virus in BRKR Bhavan impacted the attendance of employees on Tuesday. While some employees opted for leave, a few others sought permission to work from home.